Golf Bags and Method of Making Golf Bags

ABSTRACT

A golf bag top has a peripheral covering or golf bag shell. The golf bag shell may have a flexible covering material and a rigid shell. The flexible covering material may cover a portion of the peripheral structure and be connected to the top member and the bottom member. The flexible covering material and the rigid shell extend and are connected to a top member and the bottom member. The rigid shell may comprise support to the golf bag on one side and at least one stay extending between and connected to the top member and the bottom member may provide support to the golf bag shell on the other side. For example, the stay or stays and the rigid shell may be on opposite sides of the golf bag shell such that the stays support the top member on one side and the rigid shell supports the top member on the other side of the golf bag shell.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The specification is directed toward golf bags, golf bag shells, and golf bag design and construction. Golf bags typically comprise a top member that defines at least one aperture for receiving at least one golf club, a golf bag shell, and a bottom member. The golf clubs are inserted through the top member to be carried within and protected by the golf bag shell. An embodiment of the golf bag comprises a top member, a bottom member, and stays extending between the top member and the bottom member, and a golf bag shell or golf bag shell assembly (hereinafter “golf bag shell”) structure connecting the top member to the bottom member. The golf bag shell may consist essentially of a rigid shell and a flexible covering material. In such embodiments, the rigid shell works in combination with stays to maintain the top member and the bottom member in a distal relationship.

BACKGROUND

Golf is a popular game that requires a significant amount of equipment to play including, but not limited to, balls, a set of clubs, shoes, tees and a golf bag to organize, transport, and protect the other equipment. The golf bags are available in many styles and types of bags. Generally, there are at least four different types of golf bags including, but not limited to, cart bags, stand or carry bags, staff or tour bags, and travel bags.

All golf bags have a top member that provides structural rigidity to the golf bag aperture for receiving the golf clubs and to provide some protection from damage to the golf clubs. Golf bag top members may have partitioning dividers forming a rigid, grid-like structure over the golf bag aperture for keeping the golf clubs separate and organized within the bag. The top member may further comprise additional features such as, but not limited to, a connector for attaching a stand system, a handle, and/or other accessories.

Golf club manufacturers are constructing golf clubs with increasingly more expensive materials such as, but not limited to, aircraft-grade aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber composites, and other metal alloys. These materials increase the performance of the golf club and make it easier for the average golfer to drive the golf ball farther and with more accuracy to achieve lower scores on a round of golf. As a result, golf clubs are more expensive.

Golf bags may be designed to provide some protection against damage to these golf clubs. These improvements typically add significant cost and weight to the golf bag. To limit the damage to the golf clubs by the golf bag, the peripheral structure or golf bag shell may typically be covered in a flexible covering material such as, but not limited to, leather, soft cloth or fabric to protect the expensive composite shafts from damage. The flexible covering may be wrapped the support structure or skeleton of the golf bag. The flexible covering material does not provide crush protection to the contents of the golf bag contents.

Golf bags also comprise stays and connectors to form an internal support structure or skeleton. The skeleton of a comprise stays that support the top member and the bottom member at a proper distal relationship. In a typical conventional golf bag, the golf bag comprises a bottom member to protect the bottom of the golf bag during use and four stays that extend from the top member to the bottom member to support the top member and the bottom member in the appropriate distal relationship to form the golf bag and extend the flexible fabric material. Further, the flexible covering materials of the golf bag shell may be attached to the golf bag skeleton or the top and bottom members.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved golf bag shell. In particular, there is a need for a golf bag shell that comprises a flexible covering material and a rigid shell that provides improved protection for golf clubs and an external support to the golf bag. There is a further need for a golf bag with fewer internal stays and provide an improved support structure. There is also a need for a golf bag with a partial internal skeleton and a partial exoskeleton to support the top member and the bottom member in an appropriate distal relationship.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, the golf bag top member comprises a peripheral covering or golf bag shell consisting essentially of a flexible covering material and a rigid shell. The flexible covering material may cover a portion of the peripheral structure and be connected to the top member and the bottom member. In such an embodiment, the flexible covering material may be connected to at least one longitudinal side of the rigid shell. Further, the flexible covering material and the rigid shell extend and are connected to a top member and the bottom member.

In other embodiments, the golf bag comprises a top member spaced distally apart from a bottom member, at least one stay extending between and connected to the top member and the bottom member, and a rigid shell extending between and connected to the top member and the bottom member, wherein the at least one stay and the rigid shell cooperate to maintain structure to the golf bag and a distal relationship between the top member and the bottom member. For example, the stay or stays and the rigid shell may be on opposite sides of the golf bag shell such that the stays support the top member on one side and the rigid shell supports the top member on the other side.

In one embodiment, the golf bag consists essentially of two stays on a first longitudinal side of the golf bag and the rigid shell is on a second longitudinal side of the golf bag. The rigid shell acts as an “exoskeleton” of the second longitudinal side of the golf bag while the stays act as an internal skeleton. The two stays support the first side since the first longitudinal side is covered by the flexible covering material.

The rigid shell and the flexible covering material may be connected to form the golf bag shell. Since the flexible covering material does not provide structural stability to the golf bag, the internal stays provide the structural support to the first longitudinal side. The golf bag shell comprises an inner wall and an outer wall.

A further embodiment comprises a golf bag comprising a golf bag shell consisting of a flexible covering material and a rigid shell. In such an embodiment, both the flexible covering material and the rigid shell extend and are connected to a top member and the bottom member. The top member and the bottom member may be connected to the flexible covering material and the rigid shell by any means including, but not limited to, adhesives, stitching, rivet, other fasteners, or combinations thereof. In embodiments, the golf bag also includes stays that extend from the top member to the bottom member.

The stays may extend from the first top portion of the top member to the first bottom portion of the bottom portion and the rigid covering may extend from and connected to the second top portion of the top member to the second bottom portion of the bottom portion. In some embodiments, the golf bag may comprise two stays extending from the top member to the bottom member on an opposite side of the golf bag as the rigid shell. The rigid shell can, in some embodiments, replace stays in a conventional golf bag.

In a still further embodiment, a golf bag may comprise a golf bag shell comprising a flexible covering material and the rigid shell, a top member attached to both the flexible covering material and the rigid shell, and a bottom member also attached to both the flexible covering material and the rigid shell.

The flexible covering and the rigid shell may be connected (by adhesives, stitching, rivets, other fasteners or combinations thereof, to form the complete golf bag shell. In some embodiments, the rigid shell may cover between 10% and 75% of the golf bag shell with the flexible covering material may covering the remaining portion of the golf bag shell. In other embodiments, the rigid shell covers between 20% and 35% of the golf bag shell. The rigid shell may be attached to the outer surface of a complete golf bag shell made of the flexible covering material.

In some embodiments, the rigid shell may be a plastic sheet. The plastic sheet may be a plastic sheet of ABS, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, high density polyethylene, polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate, Polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified or combinations thereof.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In describing the invention, it will be understood that a number of components, parts, techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefit and each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases, all of the other disclosed embodiments and techniques. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a stand golf bag 1 comprising a golf bag shell comprising a rigid shell 11 and a flexible covering material 10, the stand golf bag comprises a top member 20 and a bottom member 30 with the rigid shell 11 and the flexible covering material 10 are both connected to the top member 20 and the bottom member 30 and also connected to each other at a seam 12;

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a support structure of a golf bag comprising a golf bag shell comprising both a rigid shell 11 exoskeleton and two stays 14 forming an internal skeleton, wherein the rigid shell and the two stay work together to support the top member and the bottom member in their appropriate distal relationship, as shown, the rigid shell is in the shape of a curved rectangle;

FIG. 3 depicts another embodiment of a support structure of a golf bag comprising a golf bag shell comprising both a rigid shell 11 exoskeleton and two stays 14 forming an internal skeleton similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2 wherein the rigid shell is in the shape of a curved rectangle with two concave sides;

FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment of a top member that may be incorporated into embodiments of the golf bag, wherein the top member 30 comprises a top member divider 31 defining apertures 32 to receive golf clubs, a top member collar 52, and two stay connectors 53, the top member may be at least partially covered by a top member covering material; and

FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of a bottom member that may be incorporated into embodiments of the golf bag, wherein the bottom member 40 comprises a bottom member collar 41 and two stay connectors 42.

DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention are directed to golf bags, golf bag sub-assemblies, and golf bag shells consisting essentially of both a rigid shell portion and a flexible covering material portion connected together to form the golf bag shell. An embodiment of an embodiment of a golf bag 1 (a stand golf bag) is shown in FIG. 1. The golf bag 1 comprises golf bag shell 10 forming an enclosure to receive golf clubs, a top member 20 comprising partitioning dividers for organizing the golf clubs received within the enclosure, and bottom member 30 to protect the enclosure and the clubs from wear during storage and use. Golf bag 1 comprises a golf bag shell 10, wherein the golf bag shell 10 consists essentially of a rigid shell 11 and a flexible covering material 13. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the rigid shell 11 is connected to the flexible covering material 13 by stitching 12. The rigid shell 11 wraps around one rigid section of the golf bag shell and is connected on both longitudinal sides to the flexible covering material 13. As used herein, rigid means that the material has a flexural modulus of greater than 0.75 Gpa.

As shown in FIG. 1, embodiments of the golf bag 1 may comprise different components or accessories such as a stand system 7 or any number of pockets 6 of different sizes, materials and purposes. The stand system, for example, provides legs to hold the bag upright without being held by the user. Such leg system 7 may not be desired on an embodiment of the golf bag meant to be a cart bag to be used when golfing with a golf cart.

Generally, the golf bag shell defines the enclosure for storing and protecting the golf clubs and may comprise pockets 6, hooks, connectors for a golf bag stand system, connectors for a strap or strap system, and other accessories. The enclosure includes an open end at a top portion of the golf bag shell for receiving golf clubs and other items into the interior or the enclosure of the golf bag shell 10. The top member 20 is connected to a top portion of the golf bag shell 10. The top portion of the enclosure defines the golf club receiving opening and, typically but not necessarily, the top member provides partitioning dividers 31 (See FIG. 4, for example) dividing the golf club receiving opening into further smaller apertures for organizing the golf clubs to be carried in the golf bag 1. The bottom end of the golf bag shell 10 is typically connected to a bottom member 30 to close the bottom end to retain the clubs in the golf bag 1 and prevent wear of the enclosure during use or storage of the golf bag.

Embodiments of the flexible covering material may be made from a flexible fabric or other flexible material such as nylon, polyester, nylon/polyester blends, ripstop nylon, plastic, leather, synthetic leathers, and woven materials such as cotton, canvas, woven synthetics or combinations of these material. Each of these materials is available in various weights and properties. Golf bag shells, especially golf bag shells for travel bags, may consist of rigid materials such as, but not limited to, plastics to protect the golf clubs during travel.

Embodiments of the golf bag shell 10 may be manufactured and assembled with other both the flexible covering material and the rigid shell. The rigid shell 11 may be formed into a curved shell structure to conform to the desired perimeter shape of the golf bag 10. For example, the rigid shell may be considered to a portion of a cylinder, the cylinder may be a right cylinder or an oblique cylinder, for example, a portion of a cone, a portion of an oval shaped cylinder, have square corners or rounded edges, other regular or irregular geometric shapes, or combinations thereof.

The top member 20 or, in some embodiments, a top collar portion of the top member may be attached to the golf bag shell 10, the rigid shell 11 and the flexible covering material 10 adjacent to the top end of the golf bag shell 10 by any means including, but not limited to, sewing, stitching, rivets, screws, bolts, hook and loop connectors, and/or adhesives, for example. As stated in some embodiments, a top collar 14 (FIG. 2, for example) may define a golf club receiving opening of the golf bag shell 10 or a golf bag shell sub-assembly 9. The top collar 14 may further comprise connectors, stitching, adhesives or other means capable of connecting the top member 20 or a top member sub-assembly to the golf club shell subassembly comprising a top collar 14. In some embodiments, the golf bag need not include a top collar and the top member is connected directly to the golf bag shell. This embodiment is shown for simplicity and other variations are also possible.

Further, the golf bag top members and bottom members may vary in shape, color, weight, perimeter shape, number, pattern and/or position of partitioning dividers, handles, cover attachment capabilities, stand system capabilities, accessory attachment capabilities, or other features. The top members may be attached to the golf bag shell 10 including the rigid shell 11 and the flexible fabric material 10 by any connection means such as, but not limited to, stitching, rivets, hook and loop connectors, or adhesives, for example. The golf bag top member may further comprise a covering to protect the golf clubs from damage. The top member 20 or top collar 15 may comprise stay receiving members 14 a.

In FIG. 2, a golf bag shell 10 and support assembly is shown. The golf bag shell comprises a rigid shell 11 and a flexible fabric material 10. The rigid shell 14 is shown extends from the top collar 15 to the bottom collar 16. The embodiment of the golf bag shown in FIG. 2 is depicted with a top collar 15 and a bottom collar 16 that can be connected to a top member 20 and a bottom member 30, respectively. Other embodiments may not comprise a top collar 15 and a bottom collar 16 and the golf bag shell components may be connected directly to the top member 20 and the bottom member 30. As seen in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the golf bag shell consists of a rigid shell 14 connected on both longitudinal sides to a flexible fabric covering 10 to form a golf bag shell. The rigid shell 11 is also connected directly at a top portion to the top collar 15 or to a top member 20 and on a bottom portion to the bottom collar 16 or to a bottom member 30. Also connected to the top collar 15 or the top member 20 are support stays that extend to the bottom collar 16 or the bottom member 30. The stays may be connected to the top collar 15 or the top member 20 and the bottom collar 16 or the bottom member 30 by stay connectors 14 a. Thus, the stays 14 provide structural support to the golf bag shell 10 and maintain the distal relationship between the top member 20 and the bottom member 30. In the embodiment, the stays 14 are connected on one side of the golf bag shell to provide the structural support and the rigid shell 11 is connected on the other side to provide structural support to the other side. The stays 14 and the rigid shell 11 work together to provide structural support to the golf bag shell and maintain the top member 20 and the bottom member 30 in their desired distal relationship. A conventional golf bag typically comprises four stays. The rigid shell replaces two of the stays, therefore, the golf bag shell assembly consists of two stays 14 and the rigid panel 11 to provide the structural support.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, if the golf bag shell is divided longitudinally by a plane parallel to the center axis, the stays are on one side of the plane and the rigid shell is on the other side.

Embodiments of the golf bag comprise a golf bag shell consisting essentially of a flexible covering material and a rigid shell. A top member of the golf bag is attached to both the flexible covering material and the rigid shell. Similarly, a bottom member of the golf bag is also attached to both the flexible covering material and the rigid shell. The golf bag is structurally supported by the rigid shell and at least one stay extending from the top member to the bottom member.

The flexible covering and the rigid shell are connected together to form the golf bag shell that forms an enclosure. In some embodiments, the rigid shell covers between 10% and 75% of the golf bag shell and extends from and is attached to both the top member and the bottom member. In another embodiment, the rigid shell covers between 20% and 35% of the golf bag shell and extends from and is attached to both the top member and the bottom member. In most embodiments, the flexible covering material comprises the remaining portion of the golf bag shell.

The rigid shell may consist essentially of a plastic, a plastic sheet, for example. The plastic sheet may be thermoformed, molded, three dimensional printed, or a combination of these, for example. The plastic sheet comprises ABS, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, high density polyethylene, polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified or combinations thereof.

The rigid shell may be any desired shape. The rigid shell shown in FIG. 2 is rectangular shape having a curve that defines the curved shape of the golf bag shell. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the rigid shell is a rectangular shape with two concave sides or an hourglass shape having the curved shape.

FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment of a top member 20 that may be incorporated into embodiments of the golf bag, wherein the top member 30 comprises a top member divider 31 defining apertures 32 to receive golf clubs, a top member collar 52, and two stay connectors 53, the top member may be at least partially covered by a top member covering material. Other shapes and sizes of the top member may be incorporated into the golf bag and may comprise various features such as hooks, connectors or other accessories.

FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of a bottom member that may be incorporated into embodiments of the golf bag, wherein the bottom member 40 comprises a bottom member collar 41 and two stay connectors 42. Other shapes and sizes of the bottom member may be incorporated into the golf bag and may comprise various features.

An embodiment of a method of assembling a golf bag comprises connecting a flexible covering material to a rigid shell along both longitudinal edges to form a golf bag shell in a cylindrical, peripheral structure, or tubular structure. The method further comprises attaching a top member and a bottom member to the golf bag shell. The method further comprises connecting at least one stay to both the top member and the bottom member on a portion of the top member and the bottom member opposite of the rigid shell. The flexible covering material may be attached to the inner wall of the peripheral structure with the rigid shell attached to an outer portion of the flexible covering material.

The embodiments of the golf bag, golf bag top member, golf bag top member covering and methods of producing a golf bags are not limited to the particular embodiments, components, method steps, and materials disclosed herein as such components, process steps, and materials may vary. Moreover, the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing exemplary embodiments only and the terminology is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Therefore, while embodiments of the invention are described with reference to exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that variations and modifications can be effected within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention should not be limited to the above discussed embodiments, and should only be defined by the following claims and all equivalents. 

1. A golf bag, comprising: a golf bag shell comprising a flexible covering material and a rigid covering; a top member attached to a flexible enclosure, wherein the top member has a first top portion and a second top portion; a bottom member having a first bottom portion and a second bottom portion; and a golf bag shell assembly consisting of at least one stay extending from the first top portion to the first bottom portion, wherein the rigid covering extends from and is connected to the second top portion and connected to the second bottom portion.
 2. The golf bag of claim 1, comprising two stays extending from the first top portion to the first bottom portion.
 3. The golf bag of claim 2, consisting of two stays.
 4. The golf bag of claim 1, wherein the top member comprises at least one divider partition and a top collar.
 5. The golf bag of claim 4, wherein the top collar is connected to a top portion of the rigid covering.
 6. The golf bag of claim 5, wherein the bottom member comprises a bottom collar.
 7. The golf bag of claim 6, wherein the bottom collar is connected a bottom portion of the rigid covering.
 8. The golf bag of claim 5, wherein the flexible covering material is stitched to top member and the bottom member.
 9. The golf bag of claim 1, wherein the flexible covering material comprises at least one of nylon, polyester, nylon/polyester blends, ripstop nylon, plastic, leather, synthetic leathers, woven materials such as cotton, canvas, or woven synthetics.
 10. The golf bag of claim 4, wherein the top collar comprises a flexible, resilient plastic.
 11. A golf bag, comprising: a golf bag shell comprising a flexible covering material and a rigid shell; a top member attached to both the flexible covering material and the top member is connected to the rigid shell; and a bottom member attached to having a first bottom portion and the bottom member is connected to the rigid shell.
 12. The golf bag of claim 11, wherein the flexible covering and the rigid shell are connected together to form the golf bag shell.
 13. The golf bag of claim 12, wherein the rigid shell covers between 10% and 75% of the golf bag shell.
 14. The golf bag of claim 12, wherein the rigid shell covers between 20% and 35% of the golf bag shell.
 15. The golf bag of claim 14, wherein the rigid shell comprises a plastic sheet.
 16. The golf bag of claim 15, wherein the plastic sheet comprises ABS, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, high density polyethylene, polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate, Polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified or combinations thereof.
 17. The golf bag of claim 12, comprising at least one stay extending from the top member to the bottom member.
 18. The golf bag of claim 17, wherein the at least one stay in combination with the rigid shell hold the top member and the bottom member in a position to form a golf bag. 